M.J. Banias reports scientists are, yet again, "surprised" by the behavior of 3I/Atlas. We are starting to worry about these guys. Realistically how long can you maintain a state of surprise without some kind of medical consequence? And you might have thought, that with only two other objects to go on, they might have learnt to keep a more open mind? Nevertheless, scientists are apparently wide-eyed about the atypical release of significant amounts of water by the comet while still 2.8 AU out from the sun (do we have a type in mind?). The comet is also thought to be unusually large and stable, with a mass of at least 33 billion tons. The comet will be at its closest approach to the Sun in November. Offsetting scientists’ penchant for wonder, James Felton in IFL Science reports on the folk at SETI setting out to pop a few of the more speculative bubbles in SETI Paper Responds To Claims Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Might Be An Alien Spacecraft. The SETI paper responds to suggestions that 3I/Atlas could be technological in origin. SETI scientists emphasize that available evidence suggests 3I/Atlas displays comet-like behavior, comet-like physical characteristics, and a comet-like trajectory. In short, there is little reason to suspect it is not a comet. On the other side, Avi Loeb et al while at first suggesting a technological origin for the body as a purely "pedagogical exercise," seem to have upped the ante, estimating a 30-40% probability that 3I/ATLAS does not have a fully natural origin. This seems to be very much Professor Loeb’s MO. Still, why not make hay while the sun shines? (JS)

O Canada! UFO news north of the U.S. border begins with Ross Coulthart chatting with Canadian journalist Daniel Otis about the June 2025 Sky Canada report by Canadian Chief Science Advisor Dr. Mona Nemer. Both Ross and Daniel agree that the report had strict criteria towards reviewing "current practices surrounding public reporting of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) in Canada," and to recommend measures "to enhance transparency and scientific inquiry on UAP issues in Canada." Like the previous NASA Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Independent Study Team Report, it did not address the agency/ies behind UFO/UAP reports, and Ross and Daniel laud the Canadian version. Unfortunately, with former Member of Parliament Larry Maguire (The Canadian version of Tim Burchett in this arena) having just retired, and considering Canada's many economic problems, it seems likely the report's recommendations are "dead in the water." For the Sky Canada report, see Management of Public Reporting of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in Canada. For what an active private Canadian group is doing about UFOs, try Interview: Dr. Richard Tortorella by UFO Talker Michael Ryan. Tortorella is the President of UFOBC, and covers the history of this British Columbia group and a medley of other interesting topics. (WM)

One of the most-controversial topics in archaeology gets a broad-brush look from Trizzy Orozco. It sets the stage for some glances at the odder sides to the discipline. Jason Colavito touches on one of Orozco's topics in The New Yorker Goes in Search of the Oldest Layer of Mythology. Basically, the intransigency of reconstructing the world's oldest myths remains, but studying that process can reveal something about the prejudices of those who attempt it. And then there's Explorers Discover Giant Doorway Hidden in the Mountains and People Are Convinced It's 'Ancient Aliens'. This current Reddit sensation concerns a supposed Kazakhstan mountain range anomaly whose elements recall those of numerous novels and films, games, and even a kids' TV series. Jonathan Chadwick additionally reports a probable case of pareidolia in Mars' Jezero Crater that looks like "the 'sorting hat' from Harry Potter." We're glad to report that The Mystery of the Ancient Roman Gravestone Discovered in a Family’s Backyard Has Been Solved. It's a remarkable and in a sense heartwarming story of chance discovery, repatriation, and honoring a 2,000-year-old person. And Denyse O'Leary has a general point to ponder in The More We Study Our Ancestors, The Smarter They Turn Out to Be. (WM)

A byline to the September 9th House UFO/UAP hearing that could potentially dwarf in significance certainly the controversial Hellfire missile/UAP footage and most of the other testimony gets a fuller examination in this and In Dylan Borland Unloads the Truth About Legacy UFO Programs. Weaponized partners Jeremy Corbell and George Knapp probe into USAF veteran Dylan Borland's story in greater detail than he gave at the hearing, which public appearance actually occurred after these podcast exchanges were recorded. This pair of podcasts has been "sanitized" most recently, as Corbell explains at the outset of each Weaponized episode. Borland claims not only knowledge about crash-retrieval and reverse engineering efforts; his lengthy, complicated, and often frightening recollections truly bring home the human costs of even licit drone warfare. His charges of control of information and persons, in the form of crimes against himself, others, and the American People—if proven—take matters to an extreme level. And former F-16 pilot Chris Lehto says It's ALL Real: Classified Dylan Borland's UFO Testimony. Lehto gives his "take" on the various points in Borland's reported experiences and stark allegations, and forecasts—while thanking in advance—future "whistleblowers." But the level of public discussion is not encouraging, as Tim Burchett Reveals Naval Officer's Wild Alleged UFO Encounter Underwater. (WM)

A key figure in the release of the 2017 UFO videos and the whole subsequent discussion continues his call for increased transparency from the U.S. Government. Christopher Mellon makes yet another vigorous, fact-based argument for the American People. Well, one controversial Congresswoman says she's behind disclosure, as The Guardian's US edition notes Lauren Boebert Vows to Pursue 'Truth About UFOs' As She Bids for Re-Election. Reporter Ramon Antonio Vargas has some of the Boebert back story, but without seeing the complete email itself it seems somewhat unfair to imply that topic constitutes an "outlandish ad." Otherworldly, perhaps... With thanks to researcher Dan Zetterstrom, Keith Basterfield has a list of "accidental" transparency materials as More Documents Leak from the BAASS AAWSAP CAPELLA Data Warehouse. And Keith's done some additional investigation as to who might be behind the "spill." Finally, Officials Say Aircraft Material of "Unknown Origin" Was Found at Recent Site of Mysterious Crash Near Area 51. Micah Hanks tells a story of a mystery that's gotten even more, well...mysterious. (WM)

Trees are our friends...except when they're not. The legendary Lamparagua, a hungry tree monster of sorts, may have originated as a tale warning against reptiles and snakes at the water's edge. But the Lamparagua seemed more fiercesome than these creatures, moving about on its roots and opening a crack on its trunk to reveal a gaping maw which enabled it to swallow its prey whole. For a completely different perspective, listen to this interview with Isabella Clark, Conscious Conversations with Trees, where we're shown To Connect with Nature, Believe! Many cultures (excluding our modern one) understood that trees were continuously sending out communications via subtle electromagnetic frequencies. This discussion describes the human-tree connection, and "how rediscovering this relationship can help us heal our bond with the natural world." (CM)

Hosts Preston Dennett and Dolly Safran discuss the highly acclaimed biography Against the Odds: Major Donald E. Keyhoe and His Battle to End UFO Secrecy (Anomalist Books) with its author Linda Powell, who is also an Anomalist news editor. Donald Keyhoe is arguably, along with James McDonald and J. Allen Hynek, among the most important figures in the early history of ufology, and Linda's treatment is the best (and only complete) treatment of Keyhoe's many-faceted and controversial life. Another key figure in the early days gets a last letter from the focal figure in a weird mid-60s flap in Hartshorne, Oklahoma (6). John Keel's website manager Doug Skinner promises more on the sightings from noted researcher Gordon Lore's correspondence to John. Derbyshire Life writer Richard Bradley asks a question about the same time period as Hartshorne's visitations in Did UFOs Visit the Peak District in the 1950s and 1960s?. Bradley doesn't know—and we shall never know because the materials have been lost—but his story of a remarkable man captured by UFO fervor and sourced from a dedicated website like Doug Skinner's John Keel site makes for thoughtful reading. And UFO Talker host Michael Ryan and Commentator Christine Scott discuss a single—and singular—1976 Canadian frightened individual's experience in The New Brunswick UFO Incident. (WM)

A potential fourth Loch Ness Monster sighting has been recorded for 2025. (The last official sighting was 2 months ago in August.) A couple taking a late afternoon stroll by the loch spotted a black something in the water and took a video. Overall it appears quite inconclusive but we share their excitement. Even more exciting is this next report by Eoin O’Faodhagain, longtime loch observer via webcam at the Clansman Hotel maintained by Visit Inverness Loch Ness: New Loch Ness Monster Sighting After Creature Size of '3 Grown Men' Emerges From Water. O'Faodhagain estimates creature he observed was about 17 feet long and 5 feet wide, visible in otherwise calm waters. He's claiming it's a very unique clip that won't be easily explained away—and he's been watching the loch for years, so he's a good judge. (CM)

Ashley Knibb writes about his night in "the silent, dust-filled rooms" of the "haunted" Royal Gunpowder Mills in the English county of Essex. This building was once used for the preparation and testing of explosives, with the inevitable consequence of some fatalities over the years. Ashley and his fellow paranormal "investigators" came away with nothing other than the hope they might find something worth staying up for, during some future visit. Meanwhile, a Haunted Vegas Casino Seeks Ghost Hunter. Some "lucky spirit seeker" can win $5000 and the chance to conduct "their own paranormal investigation" at the El Cortez Hotel and Casino. So, how many spook-ologists will take a gamble on winning the prize and coming up with the ghostly goods? Entries must be in by (of course) Halloween. (LP)

It turns out there's a backstory to USAF veteran Dylan Borland's appearance at the September 9th U.S. Congressional Oversight Subcommittee on UFO, UAP & Other Unknown Aerial Phenomena Hearings. It appears that Borland had only six days to prepare for his role, as the originally-scheduled participant had to back out. Jeremy Corbell and George Knapp discuss some of Borland's more recent challenges before introducing the man Borland subbed for in Congress. In 2006 Daniel J. Gockerell was recuperating at an Eglin AFB medical facility from injuries suffered in a U.S. Army Ranger School parachute jump. He was awakened by the sounds of something—a kind of engine, perhaps—being "powered up and down," and went outside the facility to see what was going on. What he saw was a huge, highly unfamiliar triangular vehicle silently hovering, then doing "touch and goes" as in testing, but at incredible speeds. Jeremy takes some solace from this case as it seems to him the U.S. has some control over this type of craft, be it through agreement with Others, reverse-engineering, or just plain human developmental ingenuity. Daniel previously provided this information to the FBI. In Military Ranger Saw Triangle UFO During Secret Test Cristina Gomez summarizes the incident, highlighting particular questions stemming from it, and adds more context about Eglin AFB UFO-related "doings" since. (WM)

Scientists and philosophers alike seem to be endlessly engaged in seeking an answer to the question, "When is life Conscious?" In the case of plants, it's when they communicate with each other using a series of ultrasonic clicks and chemical signals. However, as AI continues to decipher the language of plants, some researchers are still asking Do Trees Think? Philosopher Maps A New Route Through The Consciousness Debate. Using a specific set of criteria whereby consciousness is evaluated, investigators have frequently concluded that while a being may be interactive, it is not necessarily conscious. For example, while a plant may grow better when it's spoken to and watered regularly, that reaction is reflexive and not indicative of consciousness. Somewhere there is a tree screaming to be heard and only AI knows...(CM)

Melding archaeology, Space, and prophecy, multitalented and voluminous author Gregg Braden makes this remarkable claim on (where else?) The Joe Rogan Experience. What's more, Braden says "both the United States and Russia discovered this during the Cold War but decided to keep it a secret," according to Harry Boulton. While any Cold War secrecy seems easiest to swallow, Boulton says this whole grand hypothesis might be tested as early as next year. If that set of statements surprises, try Easter Island's Statues Actually 'Walked,' and Physics Backs It Up. John Brhel describes how a pair of anthropologists, one at Binghamton University, New York, the other from the University of Arizona, came to this actually believable conclusion. Over at The Debrief, Christopher Plain writes that the Ancient Inhabitants of Teotihuacan May Have Left Clues Explaining Their Mysterious Disappearance. Two University of Copenhagen researchers have a theory that could link the inhabitants of that marvelous ancient Mesoamerican city linguistically to the Aztecs. And they're looking to enlist more international expert brainpower and "a solution to the mystery surrounding the inhabitants of Teotihuacan," says one of the Danish scholars in the University's announcement of their study. (WM)

Virginie Soffer reports on new findings from a team at the Universite de Montreal that suggest babies can become attuned to languages even before they are born. The team of neuropsychology researchers played a story read out in either French, German, or Hebrew repeatedly to babies still in the wombs of their pregnant French speaking mothers. Some babies were exposed only to French while still in the womb while others were exposed to the other languages. Soon after birth the babies were played the stories once more in the different languages. At the same time their brains were scanned using near-infrared spectroscopy, a technique that allows the measurement of blood flow to different parts of the brain—from which brain activity is inferred. While being exposed to the native French of their mothers, the babies’ brains displayed patterns of activity similar to adult native speakers. The newborns also displayed these patterns when hearing the story in languages they were exposed to in utero—whereas the unfamiliar language triggered much less brain activity. Very early learners. Does the science behind Dan Brown’s latest book The Secret of Secrets stand up? Betsy Holmberg takes a swing, 'The Secret of Secrets': Is the Science Accurate?. Concluding that the central premiss, of reductions in the GABA neurotransmitter leading to altered states of consciousness and extranormal abilities (telepathy, remote viewing etc), does not really stand much scrutiny. While undoubtably leading to altered states of consciousness, this is not really in a good way, low levels of GABA are associated with increased anxiety, depression, suicidality, unless the extra-normal ability you had in mind was a panic-attack. (JS)

Martin Willis welcomes National UFO Historical Records Center Executive Director David Marler with one of the finest UFO-related tributes this reviewer has ever heard. And the first topic about chance archival survival is the remarkable Lieutenant Carmen Murano Project Blue Book files. As the conversation continues, there's Mystery along with History as more collections arrive and are compared with the help of researchers such as Jan Aldrich and Barry Roth, both drawn to the NUFOHRC collections and the opportunity to add to Ufology. A piece of Canadian UFO history from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Files comes in A letter, Roger Wybot and a Crashed UFO. UFO Talker host Michael Ryan and Commentator Christine Scott puzzle over a 1960 report about what seems a made-up British Columbia event. However, considerable associated official correspondence at that time, though itself fraught with problems, seems to indicate it was taken at least somewhat seriously. Canada's Science Advisor Says UFO Reporting in Canada Discouraged By Ridicule and Skepticism. Dr. Mona Nemer thinks following the US Government lead in going from "UFO" to "UAP" will reduce the reporting stigma. But the quote equating an English plural term (UFOs—"unidentified flying objects") to a Latin-derived singular term ("unidentified aerial phenomenon"—and not even "anomalous") has us wondering how invested Nemer is in this matter. (WM)

It's the spooky season, the ideal time to check out the most spook-infested homes in the US. From a mansion in Alabama to an apartment complex in Alaska to a murder house in Iowa, complete with creepy backstories and descriptions of what to expect, this guide by Brie Dyas and Hadley Mendelson has something for almost everyone, not just ghost hunters. But if you are one of those, this Haunted Vegas Casino Seeks Ghost Hunter. The contest, sponsored by the El Cortez Hotel and Casino, is offering a $5000 prize to the winner, who will then be required/allowed to conduct a ghost hunt with all the requisite equipment.  Contest closes October 31, as does the spooky season. (CM)

The failure in the Senate of the Schumer-Rounds UAP Disclosure Act for inclusion in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act has naturally riled Billy Cox (and numerous others). Billy is referencing Douglas Dean Johnson's findings here. Billy suggests for the other legislative body that "it’s time for the House Oversight & Accountability Committee’s Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets to do some basic homework." Reference: a recent Eric Davis interview with a backstory to the "radically controversial" notes that Davis now apparently admits came from his own interview of Vice Admiral Thomas Wilson 23 years ago. "Someone is lying," says Billy, with an impasse whose resolution could literally blow the top off the alleged "UFO coverup." Podcast UFO describes international issues involving the "UFO Community" nearly fifty years ago in The U.N., UFOs, ICUFON, and SBI. This reader finds especially weird and hyperbolic the attacks against J. Allen Hynek by Pete Mazzola, who was co-founder of the Scientific Bureau of Investigation. "Very little changes in ufology," says Tanner F. Boyle in Manifest(uf)o III. This post is not only a provocative look at how the UFO issue has mutated, particularly in mass media, but somehow always remains "the Same Old Tune." It's a follow-on to Boyle's earlier idiosyncratic, pointed, and well-referenced articles about his Getting Spooked column's "ethos." (WM)

A quick teaser for an upcoming documentary made by David Paulides (of Missing 411 fame), who goes back to his Bigfoot "roots." Scheduled for release in December of this year, the film features interviews with Bigfoot experts and their views on the connection between quantum physics and Sasquatch. Mind blowing. Next we have Kevin Kehne and The Arizona Four: Bigfoot, Mysteries, and Mind-Bending Encounters. This interview with cryptid researcher Kevin Kehne includes discussions about Arizona’s Mogollon Rim geography and legends, why the area is considered a Bigfoot hot spot, mindspeak, orbs, and the meaning behind their colors. (CM)

An interesting but frustrating and concerning conversation the legendary talk radio host had with an unidentified conversant gets helpful context from John Greenewald. As John indicates, the transcript and the audio don't completely mimic each other, but they are chilling. The main excitement from the September 9th U.S. Congressional Oversight Subcommittee on UFO, UAP & Other Unknown Aerial Phenomena Hearings gets dissected by the Mutual UFO Network's Photo Analysis Team in MUFON Analyses the Yemen Hellfire UAP Shootdown. Many points—including Hellfire missile varieties, slow-motion studies at the point of contact with the unknown object, the "pattern" of the declassified videos so far released, and even the famous GIMBAL video—are most interesting. Popular Mechanics contributor Elizabeth Howell's A Missile Mysteriously Collided with a UFO. An Expert Finally Reveals the Truth About What Happened That Day. details much less analysis but comes to a more certain but similar probability as the MUFON experts. And "Red Pill Junkie" Miguel Romero tackles the entire UFO question in The Physics of UFOs, According to Massimo Teodorani. RPJ perceives flaws in both of two challenging and provocative recent papers by the Italian astrophysicist. But he lauds Massimo's "plea for more multi-sensory ground data" and being "willing to make sense of anomalous phenomena, while sticking to the scientific method which has allowed to make sense of much of the natural world." (WM)

How much do we really know about our human past? Stefan Milo (Milosavljevich) points out "something really funny going on" with the Out of Africa theory, as Greg Taylor reports. The outstanding mystery is why modern humans got to Australia, about 10,250 miles distant from Africa, at about the same time they popped up in Europe—only around 1328 miles from the "starting point." And getting to southwestern Australia involved a sea passage, while the route to the Balkans and beyond didn't (the Hellespont opening from the Black to the Mediterranean seas didn't exist at that time). Greg recommends both included Milo videos, and they do not disappoint. More enigmas from The Debrief and Christopher Plain as “These Large Engravings Are Not Just Rock Art”: Mysterious 12,000-Year-Old Pictographs Uncovered In The Arabian Desert". This remarkable discovery has researchers pondering over plentiful possible motives behind the numerous engravings. Sometimes one artifact invigorates the archaeological world, as in Historic Discovery in Karahantepe: The First T-Shaped Pillar with a Human Face Unearthed. "A turning point in Neolithic History" says Oguz Kayra, and explains why. And a single artifact can set traditional "givens" upon its head, as This Ancient "Messi" Egyptian Statue Rewrites the Rules of Art History. Tudor Tarita discusses how "A daughter carved in bas-relief may upend everything we thought we knew about Old Kingdom Art." (WM)

Mitch Horowitz gives a lengthy report on his discussion with parapsychologist Dean Radin about his work and his recent book The Science of Magic. Skeptics will find plenty to roll their eyes at, including spoon-bending, astrology, yogic-flying, and Aleister Crowley. Radin does, however, make a valid point that his detractors in the scientific community "won't debate me" perhaps because they have "low-confidence in their positions." In a nutshell, he feels that established science is still reluctant to consider anything outside of its familiar territory, which is a fair point. (LP)

Dr. Jensine Andresen melds diverse academic studies with an early interest in UFOs and a growing concern with global nuclear weapons. Her dialogue with Martin Willis is particularly interesting, though challenging, because she has an insight how thermonuclear weaponry could have such devastating results that an ET race would find more than "tourism" as a reason to visit—and take seriously—the actions of Earth's adolescent inhabitants. Andresen fears the processes of human self-destruction have not only recently begun but are accelerating. Maybe it's time for "Dreamland" as Whitley Strieber says CIA Officer (Ret.) John Ramirez Shines Some Light into a Dark Place. John experienced anomalous events and eventual messages beginning in childhood. A chance occasion while working at the CIA informed him about a government program to exploit UFO propulsion systems. Though his testimony is eyebrow-raising, John Ramirez comes across as measured and reasonable. Dr. Gregory Rogers, former NASA Chief Flight Surgeon and retired USAF Major, was essentially "tricked" while on a duty visit into seeing a video of an apparent ARV (alien reproduction vehicle) performing seemingly impossible maneuvers within a hangar. Martin Willis' Dr Rogers NASA Flight Surgeon Breaks Silence on Secret UFO Footage runs 147 minutes, and Rogers and Martin cover that particular event within the first half. But Rogers' following answers to Willis and chat-fans on other experiences, and reasons for coming forth recently, are accompanied at the approximate 1:54:10 mark by his instancing rather the exact kind of nuclear explosion physics-altering situation that Dr. Andresen was expressing. (WM)

Some fascinating headlines on cases new and old. Stan Gordon's been interested in orbs, or "mini-UFOs," from the 1960s, with an increase in numbers across Pennsylvania in 2022. And these rascals aren't above popping inside Keystoners' homes, as the late August account from Stan demonstrates. Kevin Randle comments on people publishing proclamations on the Internet without adequate research, as TheSneezingMonkey Fails in Debunking Roswell. not only does debunker "TSM" score low in his Roswellian knowledge, but a commenter to that YouTube channel gets even worse marks from Kevin. And while we know individuals, whether careful or not, make mistakes, it strains belief that all those in the mass sighting described in Eliana Nunes' next article were wrong and something happened that wasn't at least anomalous. Mystery on the Reagan: How 200 Sailors Witnessed ‘Fiery UFO Orb’ Floating Above Deck of US Navy Aircraft Carrier… And It’s Never Been Explained charts a 2004 event featuring an "orb" that dwarfed Stan Gordon's "mini-UFOs" and elicited the same upper-level non-response service people witnesses generally recount. (WM)

Joan Niesen reports on research by the University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS) into Near Death Experiences (NDEs). NDEs are reported by about 5% of American adults and involve common features such as tunnels of light, feelings of peace, and encounters with other beings. While mainstream scientists generally attribute these experiences to material causes like brain chemistry during stress or trauma, there is no consistent physical explanation for the specific content of NDEs. Researchers at UVA continue to investigate, noting that some NDEs include details that are difficult to explain solely by physiological processes. (Other research at DOPS is featured in Reproducing Anomalous Phenomena in the Lab, an interview with Dr. David Acunzo about his experimental research on hypnosis and anomalous psi phenomena.) In other thanatological related research, Mike Mcrae at The Science Alert discusses new findings suggesting that living organisms emit a faint light, known as biophotons, which disappears at death We Emit a Visible Light That Vanishes When We Die, Says Surprising Study. The phenomenon was observed in mice and plant leaves, and is thought to result from reactive oxygen species produced by cells under stress. This research provides physical evidence for a phenomenon that may be linked to biological health and stress. The findings encourage further study of biophotons, which may offer new ways to assess vitality in living organisms. (JS)

In February of this year a bill was introduced to designate Bigfoot as the official state cryptid of California. While recognizably a move to boost tourism to the Sunshine State, it has nonetheless stalled in the legislature, according to Sharon Hill. Evidently there are concerns that such a move would encourage the propagation of conspiracy theories and pseudoscience at a time when rational thought about most anything seems to be under attack. Meanwhile, another state is fully embracing The Woo. Fans of the Mysterious Mothman Bring Its West Virginia Hometown New Life. Every September the town of Point Pleasant immerses itself in a dark and inexplicable history that began in 1966 when Mothman was first encountered. In spite of its ominous background, the Mothman Festival is lighthearted and well attended, keeping the town on the map for its beautiful surroundings and friendly population. Now considered the "Paranormal Convention of the East," the festival draws 20,000 visitors each year and takes place annually on the third weekend of September. (CM)